Thursday, June 26, 2014

Oh wrap dresses, how much do we love thee? Let us count the ways! Seven ways, to be exact, and here they are:1. They'll never go out of style. Wrap dresses have been a chic closet staple since the day they were invented, and they'll never go out of style. Trends come and go. Wrap dresses remain constant.2. They're flattering on every body type (really). The shape of a wrap dress maximizes curves, highlights the waist, skims over imperfections, and brings out the va-va-voom in everyone who wears it. There are few styles of clothing that are truly as universally flattering as a wrap dress.3. They're appropriate for every age. Whether you're 25, 45 or 75, a wrap dress is going to look fabulous on you.4. They're versatile. A printed wrap dress can take you from work to happy hour to brunch to parent-teacher conferences to weddings to an Italian vacation. They work equally well with flat sandals as they do with pumps or tights and boots. Not sure what to wear? Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, chances are a wrap dress is the perfect choice.5. They're sexy without being too revealing. Sophia Loren once said, "A woman's dress should be like a barbed wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view." A wrap dress is the perfect example: it doesn't show that much skin (and we've designed ours to make sure of that), but the way it shows off a woman's shape is undeniably alluring.6. They're comfortable. Made of soft, flowy fabrics, and designed with just enough structure to stay in place without constant adjustments, wearing a well-made wrap dress should feel as easy and breezy as slipping into your favorite pair of PJs (while looking infinitely more put together, of course!). 7. They're fun to accessorize. Spice things up with a statement necklace. Keep things simple with a stack of gold bangles. Channel Jackie O in pearl stud earrings and oversized shades. Show off your legs in a pair of strappy sandals. Throw on a pair of ballet flats and a cross-body bag to run errands. Rock your over-the-knee leather boots and a puffy vest. There are a million ways to style a wrap dress, and they all look amazing.Get our Carson Stretch Ponte Wrap Dress here.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Every month we'll be sharing 5 favorite things from the company founders, Jess and Catherine. Here's what the Dobbin ladies are loving for June...

Favorite Song:

Jess: "Any ballad by Sam Smith. What a voice. I'm also newly obsessed with Jessie Mueller's voice. She plays Carole King on Broadway. Must get to that show!"Catherine: "I'm more of a favorite song of the day person - my playlist today includes new releases from Lana Del Rey and Tiesto."

Jess: "I'd like to get away for a weekend or two this summer to Maine."Catherine: "Anywhere near an ocean. Maine never disappoints!"Note: Sensing a theme here? Stay tuned for a Dobbin destination guide to Maine!

Favorite Accessory:

Jess: "My mom has made me a bunch of great envelope clutches and I also recently had a vintage Gucci bag fixed up that I'm enjoying. I'd love to buy one of Campos simple totes in white."Catherine: "A pair of gold and pearl filigree chandelier earrings from Soixante Neuf."

Favorite Piece Of Advice:

Jess: "My husband is a fellow entrepreneur so I seek his advice and guidance constantly. He reminds me to think long term and not get caught up in the small stuff."

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Ask any woman about the features that constitute a bad bridesmaid's dress, and she'll instantly rattle off a list culled from personal experience: unflattering shape, pastel floral prints, comically large bows, scratchy polyester, egregious ruffles. The cringe-worthy list goes on.But what, exactly, are the components of a truly great bridesmaid's dress? We happen to think our Sabrina Stretch Ponte Sheath is a perfect example, so let's break down all the little details that make it so fabulous, shall we?

Universally flattering color. No chartreuse or pastel purple here! The Sabrina Dress in Aegean Blue makes every skintone glow and looks gorgeous in photos (but it also comes in coral and navy, if you prefer).

Body-friendly shape. With a tailored waistline and strategic darting, this sheath flatters every body type. Available in sizes 00 - 16.

Ideal neckline. There's nothing worse than getting tagged in wedding photos on Facebook only to realize your strapless bra made an unwelcome appearance as you were leaping for the bouquet. The Sabrina dress is cut for flattery and modesty, with subtle pleats to add interest. Plus, no spaghetti straps means you can wear a real, actual bra with confidence. Hallelujah!

Versatile style. Ugly bridesmaid dresses often get dumped at Goodwill directly after the ceremony. Our Sabrina dress is different - it not only makes for a lovely bridesmaid dress, it's truly versatile. Wear it the wedding, then wear it to work, cocktail parties, dinner dates... The styling possibilities are endless.

Classic cut. This timeless sheath won't induce shrieks of laughter from your daughter when she unearths photos of you in it 15 years from now. In fact, she might ask you to dig it out of the closet so she can wear it (and thanks to our high quality construction, you can be confident it will last that long).

Comfortable fabric. Italian ponte is lightweight enough for spring and summer weddings, but substantial enough for any season. A bit of stretch provides shape and ease of movement without being so tight your Spanx show through.

Right price. Our Sabrina dress will make you look like a million bucks, but it won't break the bank. At $158, it's about the same price as a J.Crew bridesmaid dress, but higher quality, and made in the USA. Spend the money you save on a post-wedding massage. Being a bridesmaid is hard work. You deserve it.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

This week, we're featuring one of our favorite summer dresses, the Sydney Dress. We wanted to design a piece that was both professional and fun for summer. We started with a vintage tribal print that we both fell in love with and decided to print it in Italy on our favorite wrinkle-free ponte.

The Sydney is one of those great dresses that you can pair with a stiletto sandal, a Birkenstock or even just a flip flop by the pool. And instead of flimsy, gauzy fabrics that show every lump and bump or make you look bigger than you are, the Sydney has a slim but comfortable shape and is made of an ultra-flattering and very high-end fabric. Per usual, fit and fabric are everything to us.

Let us know if you have any questions about the Sydney, or any of our dresses. At $178, it might be more of an investment than an imported jersey maxidress, but we think it's a piece you'll reach for again and again, and use for summers to come. Jess just wore it to a Memorial Day barbecue and said she felt like she was wearing pajamas but still felt totally put together and chic.